Four remarkable women with connections to Hoover, Alabama, showcased their talents at the Miss Alabama 2026 competition held at Samford University. All four advanced to the top 14, with Elaina Burt achieving third runner-up status.

Elaina Burt, representing Jefferson County, is a Hoover native and a sophomore at the University of Alabama. She impressed the judges with her classical ballet en pointe performance, earning a preliminary talent award. Burt’s commitment extends beyond the stage; she founded Charlie’s Chance, a nonprofit honoring her cousin who suffered from epilepsy due to an SMC1A gene mutation. Through her Wings of Hope fundraiser, she has raised over $100,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation.

Sisters Hannah and Hailey Adams, also from Hoover, made their mark in the competition. Hannah Adams, Miss Shelby County, shared a talent award for her jazz ballet en pointe performance. A University of Alabama graduate and pediatric cancer survivor, she advocates for childhood cancer research through her initiative, Hannah’s Hope, raising over $60,000. Hailey Adams, Miss University of Alabama, won an evening gown award for a gown she designed herself. Her platform, Hailey H.E.A.R.S., focuses on raising awareness about human trafficking, and she serves as co-chairwoman of Governor Kay Ivey’s Human Trafficking Task Force.

Ali Mims, Miss Hoover, also advanced to the top 14. A Harpersville native and Chelsea High School graduate, Mims is a freshman at Samford University. She founded the Joyful Noise Foundation, which provides musical instruments to special-needs classrooms across Alabama. Mims previously held the title of Miss Alabama’s Teen 2024 and was first runner-up at Miss America’s Teen 2025.

Outgoing Miss Alabama 2025, Emma Terry, a former Miss Hoover, crowned her successor, Ruby Tilghman of Birmingham. Tilghman, a University of Alabama chemistry graduate, will represent Alabama at Miss America 2027.

Original reporting: Hoover Sun — read the source article.